The present invention relates to a wall panel joiner which is adapted to retain a pair of wall panels in aligned edge to edge relationship. The invention is particularly adapted for use on shipboard and the like where it is desirable to provide wall panels which may be readily assembled and disassembled.
There are many types of prior art wall panel joining devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,084 discloses a means for interconnecting wall panels which retains the panels in edge to edge relationship but which requires the use of retaining screws and trim plates to cover the screw heads. U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,377 discloses a means for interconnecting wall panels which does not require any screws or bolts but which does not provide any means for easily disassembling the panel members. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,772,417 and 2,014,419 also discloses wall panel retaining members but the means for securing the retaining elements together is not sufficient to lock the members together and prevent disassembly by simply pulling one of the clamping elements away from the wall panels.
The present invention comprises a pair of clamping elements each of said elements including a flat plate with a pair of spaced flanges extending from one surface of the flat plate. The flanges on one clamping element are spaced so as to be received between the flanges on the other clamping element in close sliding relationship. The longitudinal edges of adjacent wall boards are received within the recesses formed between the flanges and the inner surfaces of the outer edges of the flat plates. Locking means is provided on the interfittng flanges on the clamping elements which retain the clamping elements in engagement with each other and hold the wall panels in edge to edge relationship. The locking means comprises a slot on the flange of one clamping element which cooperates with a triangular tab bent outwardly from the surface of a flange on the other clamping element. When the clamping elements are brought into interfitting relationship, the triangular tabs on one flange of a clamping element spring into slots in the flange on the opposing clamping element. The elements cannnot be displaced by pulling one clamping element away from the other as the apex of the triangular tab on one clamping element engages the side of the slot in the opposing clamping element. Thus, the wall panels will be maintained in alignment with only the flat face plate visible on both sides of the wall panels. In the event it becomes necessary to disassemble the wall it is only necessary to slide one clamping member longitudinally with respect to the other clamping member so that the end portion of the slot will engage the sloped sidewall of the triangular tab and act as a cam to displace the tab from the slot so that the clamping members may be readily separated.
An object of the present invention is to provide a joiner for wall panels which comprises a pair of interfitting clamping elements which may be locked together and which cannot be displaced from each other unless one clamping member is first slid longitudinally with respect to the other clamping member.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a joiner for wall panels which comprises a pair of clamping elements including a flat plate and a pair of flanges wherein the flanges include a triangular tab on one clamping element which locks into a slot in a flange on the other clamping element.